At two separate marriage functions last week in Srinagar, as many as 50 persons including a bride and a groom tested positive for COVID.
According to health officials, in Soura area here, both bride and groom along with few relatives who had attended the marriage function tested covid19 positive.
Similarly, at Lal Bazar here, 20 persons tested positive at marriage function.
Health department officials said that the people get infected at such gatherings because of the non-observance of guidelines.
The SOP issued by the J&K government restricts number of participants at marriage functions to 50. “There is a clear cut instruction that at marriage functions the invitees should strictly follow social distancing, use facemasks and maintain hygiene. There have been some incidents in the past where scores of people tested positive after attending a marriage function,” said OSD, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Qazi Haroon.
He urged people to follow all guidelines in order to combat the spread of the virus and avoid large gatherings.
“Mostly when people gather at a family function or a marriage celebration, they think that they all are from the same family and there is no chance of COVID, as a result they lower the guard,” said Dr Salim Khan nodal officer for COVID19 at GMC Srinagar. He however said that there were incidents where people got infected at such functions.
Experts said that people should in no case forget guidelines at marriage functions. “They can ignore the guidelines only to their peril,” they said.